Malcolm Cameron

Malcolm Cameron is the founder of Malcam Charitable Trust, a major provider of Youth Development and Transitional Support Programmes in the Otago Region.

He is a leader in creating partnerships and developing management systems and youth programmes that can support new community initiatives.

He is a passionate advocate for giving young people as many chances as necessary until they connect with their dreams. He is equally passionate about weaving together as many community, government and business organisations as possible into a common purpose of ensuring that young people have opportunities for work and education.

Malcam Trust has achieved considerable success in working with at-risk and disadvantaged young people, with programmes that not only introduce them to the world of employment, but also include community service components, education, life skills and the challenge of sporting and outdoor experiences. Over 80% of the young people involved in the programmes go onto full-time employment, or further education and training.

The Trust is a partner of the Ministry of Social Development’s Work’n it Out programme, a transition to work initiative that is part of wider Otago initiatives to ensure that all young people in the region are involved in work or education.

The Trust has also created 4Trades, which has become a national role model in providing alternatives to the traditional “one company” apprenticeship programme where the 4Trades takes on the employer commitments and places the young people on secondment within a variety of industries.

As a member of the New Zealand Social Entrepreneur Fellowship (NZSEF) Malcolm Cameron is recognised as a serial social entrepreneur, who has launched or supported the establishment of many community organisations in Otago — including the Youth Service Corps, Conservation Corps, Logan Park Services Academy, Choice, The Princes Trust, Bargain Barn, SuperGrans … and many more are on the way.